It is quite rare to observe the phenomenon when a plate with beautiful meat and cheese cuts is missing on the festive table. This is not surprising, because it is these products that become an excellent appetizer, which usually warms up the guests' appetite before serving the main courses.

Therefore, do not neglect the design of the meat and cheese plates, it is better to study the ways of laying out the products so that they resemble a dish from the most expensive restaurant, and then all guests will remember your feast for a long time.

If there are several types of sausages or meat products of different shades, they can simply be laid out in an original assortment.

Thin slices can be arranged in a spiral or in a circle, alternating between dark and light shades, a rainbow layout will also look good, while the pieces are laid out in rows from light to darkest, or vice versa.

Since sausage is more pliable than meat, for example, it can be laid out in the shape of a flower. This is not difficult to do, one piece is twisted into a tube, after which it must be wrapped in other thin slices.

It is easier to roll a rose out of cut slices, securing it with a toothpick.

Another type of original cutting can be made using conventional dough molds, preferably metal. Thinly sliced \u200b\u200bsausage slices need to be shaped to your liking, and then carefully arrange the slices in rows or assemble in canapes.

A sausage of a rather large diameter can be thinly sliced \u200b\u200band folded in half, then all other slices can be laid side by side in the same direction. You can put additional products in the pockets that have formed, for example, a tomato or cucumber.

Also, the slices can be twisted into a cone that resembles a calla flower or rolled into tubes.

To make a sausage cut in the form of a large flower, spread lettuce leaves on a plate, and then thin slices that will resemble petals; with this layout, it is advisable to lay out the middle with dark products, for example, olives. You can also place a saucer of sauce in the center of the slices.

Here are some examples of beautiful cold cuts:

Cheese platter on a festive table with a photo

Unlike sausages, it is not necessary to cut the cheese into thin slices, although if the cheeses are of different shades or with additional additives, then laying in a spiral with passing colors will look spectacular, the main thing is to lay them alternately from neutral to savory.

Also, this product can be rolled into tubes and cones, if it is soft and does not break and crumble, you can add olive, olive or even a slice of tomato or bell pepper to the middle of each piece. This design will resemble a plate with blooming calla flowers.

You can also make roses from this cheese. Their composition is the same as in the case of sausage.

Soft and semi-soft types of cheese can be cut into large identical squares or triangles and then lay out any shape you like from them, alternating varieties with fruits, berries, nuts.

You can also create original canapes with cheese cubes. To do this, you need to string a piece of cheese on skewers and add a suitable product to it (olives, walnuts, strawberries, and so on).

Canape-sandwiches with the addition of bread, pickled vegetables, herbs, pickles and so on are also original.

In addition to skewers for decoration, you can use glass containers and multi-level trays.

Also, from pieces cut into small cubes, all kinds of figures will look beautiful.

Suitable for decorating plates and all kinds of cookie cutters.

Here are some examples of cheese plate layouts:

How beautiful to cut sausage and cheese on the table - photo

According to the rule of serving dishes, cheese and meat platter should be stacked so that meat products occupy ⅔ of the plate, and only ⅓ part is allocated to cheese.

Given this rule, in the design of the layout, you can apply all the above techniques regarding cheese and meat products.

Here are examples of slicing meat and cheese with a photo:

Tools

There are many different tools with which you can create an original and beautiful cuts of sausage and cheese. To cut especially thin slices, a special device called a slicer is used. Housewives also use slicers with different attachments.

A special knife is usually used for slicing "blue cheeses"; instead of a blade, it has a strong line. For especially soft varieties, a knife with teeth is better, and for hard varieties, a special spatula is used.

Housewives use curly knives for festive slicing of sausage and cheese. Especially creative people use metal baking dishes to shape the slices into interesting shapes.

The main rule of successful slicing is a well-sharpened knife or any other device.

Slicing products

For a variety of cold cuts, you can take any meat products (balyk, brisket, boiled pork, and so on), the only remark is that the products are not too fatty, that is, it is better not to use fatty species in such a dish.

Any type of product can be used for the cheese composition, from blue cheeses to regular processed cheese.

To make the sausage-cheese cuts look bright and beautiful, it is recommended to use other additional products as decorations. For example the following:

• greens;
• olives and olives;
• grapes;
• a tomato;
• cucumber;
• pomegranate seeds;
• nuts;
• bell pepper;
• figs;
• boiled eggs;
• various sauces;
• berry jams;
• boiled and raw vegetables;
• pickled vegetables;

Our cheese plate and the cheese plate in Europe are two completely different things. We at Cheese Sommelier are very sensitive to cheese, but, unfortunately, there are not many people like us in Russia. Try walking into a restaurant and ordering a cheese platter. In 90% of cases, the plate will look something like this: 1) suluguni, 2) smoked pigtail, 3) Marble cheese, 4) Russian cheese and sometimes even blue cheese (necessarily inexpensive and already lying down). Moreover, such a plate can be found everywhere, regardless of the status of the institution, whether it be a station eatery or a restaurant on Tverskaya. The situation in the regions is even worse. There, the probability of finding a good cheese plate is probably 1%.

This is how the average cheese plate looks in a restaurant in Europe and Russia.

What to do? Prepare a cheese platter at home! And I will try to suggest a few rules that will help you:

1) The optimal amount of cheese on a plate is 4-5 types of cheese. Among them should be:

1. White cheese (brie or Camembert).
2. Semi-hard cheese with an interesting taste (here you need to choose something interesting, for example, cheese soaked in red wine or aged in oak bark).
3. Blue cheese (the main thing here is that the cheese is not too spicy or salty).
4. Goat cheese (it is better to choose a calm goat, rather than an aggressive, strong-smelling goat).
5. If, nevertheless, there is a place for the fifth cheese on the plate, then here you can take either extra-aged cheese (the main thing is that the cheese is pricked), or cheese with a washed crust (red mold).

2) 100 g of cheese per person will be enough, but if a particularly hungry company, then it can be increased to 150 g, but more will be too much. Cheese is a high-calorie and fatty product that is eaten little by little.

3) No forks - just toothpicks.

4) You need to spread the cheeses in a circle, to taste. For 6 hours, you can put the cheese with the weakest taste and smell, and then the cheeses go to increase the taste and smell, and the blue cheese is always the last one, that is, to the right of the cheese for 6 hours.

5) In Europe, cheese is usually not cut, but I am for slicing it, it's still more convenient. You can talk about slicing for a long time, but if it is short and to the point, then each cheese should be sliced \u200b\u200bdifferently. You don't need to cut everything into cubes, there are still stripes, triangles and other geometric shapes. The crust also does not need to be trimmed, especially since it is often edible.

6) In addition to cheese, you can put pear, grapes, nuts, pecans, ham, prosciutto on the plate, but not olives, olives, cucumbers, tomatoes, red caviar or doctor's sausage. Honey, onion confitures, mustard sauces, too, but in small quantities.

7) The cheese must be prepared and cut 20-30 minutes before serving, so the cheese will be richer and brighter.

I would say these are basic - universal rules for a cheese plate. Of course, for every wine, beer and even coffee, you need to collect your own cheese set. Based on our experience, we have prepared several variants of delicious cheese plates for any occasion.

A short video on how to make a cheese plate

A cheese platter is one of the most revered and favorite dishes of the French, which will turn the most ordinary evening into a social event. This delicacy can be served as a snack, as an addition to drinks (mainly wine) and even for dessert. It all depends on the types of cheese used, their sequence and the way they are served. Let's find out in more detail what a cheese plate is: study the photos, consider the composition and popular design options.

In Russia and other CIS countries, the culture of eating cheese as a separate dish is poorly spread. Although already now in some restaurants of European cuisine you can try an analogue of a cheese plate. Of course, the assortment and serving of the dish will differ from the traditional version, but so far this is the only opportunity to get acquainted with French cuisine at home.

Another option would be to design a cheese plate yourself at home. Despite the seeming complexity, this is a fairly simple procedure. It is enough to follow simple recommendations and not skimp on a variety of expensive cheeses.

A bit of history about the cheese plate

So what is a cheese plate and what is it eaten with? Speaking about this dish, most often I mean the way of serving assorted different types of cheeses. The basis for laying out the main product is tablet round or rectangular, made of solid wood. Serving on porcelain plate or shop... But this option is more an innovation than a tradition.

Do not confuse with this dish just cheese slices, where only 2-4 types of fermented milk products are used, laid out on a plate.

Firstly, with the usual serving, earthenware, glass or porcelain dishes of any shape and size are used. Secondly, the varieties of cheese are not related in any way. Most likely, they are chosen at random and used in regular sandwiches every day. Thirdly, the cheese plate is a special art of arranging different types of cheese, which are combined into one complete composition.

Varieties for proper serving

All cheeses are divided into small subgroups, depending on the intensity of taste and density.

It is permissible to use such varieties:

• fresh: ricotta, feta, mozzarella;
• soft: nechatel, shaurs;
• rich, tender: brie, camembert;
• semi-soft: gouda, edam;
• solid: maasdam, emmental;
• spicy, firm: gruyere, parmesan;
• goat or sheep milk varieties: chevret, pecorino;
• spicy, piquant (with noble mold): Roquefort, Dorblue, Gorgonzola.

Rules for composing a cheese plate

There are several principles for designing a "correct" cheese platter. They will help you create an exquisite dish according to the rules of haute French cuisine. What makes it different from regular slicing?

A gourmet cheese plate is a dish served on special, solemn occasions. A piece of processed cheese "Druzhba", of course, can be liked by everyone, enchant with only one memory of childhood. But for an exquisite meal, it is better not to take it. The same goes for other types of food that you can buy at any supermarket to make a sandwich or add to pizza.

The whole point of the cheese plate is that rare, noble varieties are used for it, which in ordinary life are practically not eaten.

Aroma disclosure

Particular attention is paid to the presentation. It is customary to cook the dish in advance, wrap it with foil or foil and send it to the refrigerator to wait in the wings. But 30-40 minutes before serving, the plate is removed so that each of the varieties heats up to room temperature, fully revealed the taste and aroma.

Quantity and quality

A real cheese platter is a variety of cheeses formed from four or more branded varieties. More is possible, less is not worth it. Although moderation must be observed in everything.

If there are too many varieties, they simply will not fit on the same board, they will "clash". Each slice should lie freewithout drowning out, without interrupting your less piquant "neighbor".

There is also a clearance rule regarding quantity. It is advisable to submit an odd number of species, for example 5, 7 or 9.

You can, of course, use a pair of cheeses, but then you should make sure that there are no true connoisseurs. Otherwise, their feelings may be hurt.

Choose fresh cheeses at the highest possible price. Ideally, they should be imported or produced using old recipes, traditional aging methods without chemicals, suspicious preservatives. It is better to buy the product in special stores, where there is a possibility of preliminary tasting.

Subtleties of calculation

When laying out cheeses when decorating a plate, it is worth remembering their delicacy. This is a very delicate, finicky product. It easily absorbs foreign odors and tastes. Therefore, a little space must be left between the different varieties. Then each group will retain its original characteristics.

Location rules

When spreading cheeses, you need to remember one little secret: you should start with softer, fresher varieties, gradually moving to dense, rich ones. Finish the composition with seasoned, piquant varieties that leave a pleasant aftertaste for a long time.

Allocate 2 traditional design methods... According to the first - the cheeses are laid out clockwise from soft to hard. On the second, the composition starts from the center, ending with the edges of the board. The basic rule is that all varieties should be cut into even pieces, beautifully arranged. Laying out cheeses so that it is beautiful is a whole art.

Cheese shape and slicing

It is customary to cut round cheeses into small sections, others - cubes or sticks... This is done so that every connoisseur can taste the taste as a whole, i.e. the middle and crust. It is known that in some varieties, different areas have different flavor characteristics.

Some housewives play with the cheese plate, forming various figures from the pieces. For example, triangles, circles, hearts, animals, stars, flowers, leaves. It is convenient to make them with cookie cutters (cuttings). Although it will be much more difficult to form a composition from non-standard figures.

Choosing a serving plate

Harder, richer cheeses look great on tough wooden trays. For soft, delicate varieties, glass, porcelain dishes are more suitable. You can put several plates on one large board to make the composition look whole.

Cutlery availability

Some types of cheese can be served without slicing, serving for each type separate knife... If the cheeses are laid out in portions in the form of pieces, the supply of wooden sticks, skewers is allowed.

Products to complement the dish

When tasting, the taste is not immediately revealed. Additional products are used to "spur" this process. For example, fresh grapes or nuts (cashews, almonds) are suitable for soft blue cheeses. More dense, spicy varieties go well with avocados, dried fruits (dates, dried apricots, raisins, figs). You can also use snacks, crackers, olives, confiture, fresh fruit. There are no special rules for the combination of additional and main products. Usually, several names are served so that each taster chooses the most appetizing combination.

Additional products often become part of the decoration of the dish. For example, cheese slices are often served with seasonal herbs, mint sprigs, coffee beans, arugula leaves, and other spices. The most controversial ingredient in the composition is balsamic vinegar. Some gourmets are inclined towards the obligatory use of this component, others completely exclude it. Therefore, the last word remains with the one who prepares the dish.

A cheese platter is a gourmet dish. It requires competent compilation, design, a responsible approach to serving and decorating. It is quite appropriate to serve it at a reception, an important event, a dinner party.

Several delicious photos

Greetings, dear readers. A good housewife always cares not only about the taste of dishes, but also about their beautiful presentation. It doesn't matter whether it is a buffet table, a home reception or a family dinner, the dishes on the plates should look delicious. An ordinary cold appetizer can become the main course and the main decoration of the table, if presented with imagination. Ideas for beautifully styled cheese slices will surely come in handy in the near future.

After all, soon a whole string of festive events awaits us. I have collected for you other useful information that will help you assemble a cheese platter according to all the rules.

Secrets of making a cheese platter

Cheese is a popular product of everyday demand, but it is also often put on the festive table. Slicing is prepared quickly, looks appetizing, and is eaten clean. The rules for making a cheese plate are simple, so it is not difficult to follow them.

As for the amount of product, for each guest you need to prepare from fifty to one hundred grams of various cheeses, at least three types. However, the advice is to use an odd number of varieties from the range of wishes. It is not necessary to strictly follow it.

Europeans are sensitive to the composition of the plate, assuring that nothing should be present on it except cheese and additives to it. The Slavs have a different opinion on this matter. Often, our housewives add meat delicacies to the dairy product, rightly believing that such a set looks more appetizing. To decorate such slices, olives, olives, cucumber or lemon slices, strips of Bulgarian pepper, cherry are used.

The best cheese combinations and additions

The composition of the assortment is determined in accordance with the general menu, focusing on the alcoholic drinks and main dishes served to the table.

Option 1

For buffet snacks, dry wines or champagne, restaurateurs recommend serving an assortment of cheeses with blue mold, soft and hard varieties. Honey, nuts (walnuts or almonds) are best combined with them.

Garnish with sliced \u200b\u200bfruit and whole berries. To do this, use pears, figs, grapes, strawberries. Onion marmalade, confiture, jam will also work as an original additive.

Option 2

The second set of cheeses will ideally complement the classic feast in the style of the Soviet era, with strong alcoholic beverages such as Russian vodka, cognac, fortified wines. The composition of the plate includes semi-solid and solid, brine, smoked processed varieties. The first group is represented by "Rossiyskiy", "Gouda", "Maasdam", "Edamer".

"Gruyere" belongs to the hard varieties. Suitable for such a set and "Pecorino". This spicy-tasting cheese is made from sheep's milk. All types of table greens (parsley, dill, green onion feathers), crackers, nut sauce will serve as additives to the appetizer.

Option 3

Option number three can be considered universal, since it is suitable for any occasion. It is especially recommended to serve such a cheese "selection" with fish dishes, salads from fresh herbs, lean meats and poultry. The assortment includes pickled varieties: "Mozzarella", "Limansky", "Suluguni", "Feta", as well as hard and semi-hard.

Spicy cheeses made from sheep and goat milk give a special note. Supplement the plate with olives, cashews, cherry tomatoes, strips of bell pepper, peach fruits, grapes. The cut is decorated with sprigs of fragrant rosemary, arugula. Dried fruits (raisins, dried apricots, figs), olive oil, honey are also served with such cheeses.

At home, not every hostess will be able to repeat the recommendations of the chefs of large restaurants. But in this case, too, do not refuse additions to the cheese plate. Grapes, nuts (pecans, almonds, hazelnuts), apples or figs are perfect for any type of this lactic acid product.

Europeans serve special jams for cheeses, among which there are not only sweet and sour, but also spicy in taste. If nothing of the kind appears on our counters, feel free to take apricot or fig confiture.

When cheese platter is served as a separate dish or dessert, fresh bread will certainly accompany it. Offer guests a choice of several types of baked goods by placing baguette slices, English crackers, Italian focaccia with olives, rye slices with dried apricots and prunes on a separate plate.

Rules for serving snacks

In restaurants, sliced \u200b\u200bcheese is laid out on a special wooden board or ceramic platter with a wood base. At home, large round serving bowls can be used for this purpose as an option.

Please note that it is not customary to put bread next to cheeses. But sprigs of spicy herbs can be mixed with chopped slices. They will serve as a kind of decoration for slicing cheese and add flavor to the dish. The prepared plate must be removed from the refrigerator half an hour before serving so that the product reaches room temperature.

The cheeses can be laid out from the center, along a spiral line, or from the middle to the edges, so that the slices overlap. The varieties alternate in terms of pungency and hardness. Closer to the edge, there are hard cheeses with a bright taste, in the center they put more bland, soft consistency. In the middle of the plate, place small bowls with additives (honey, jam, sauce). Skewers are laid out on a common dish, with the help of which each guest will grab pieces of a snack.

We cut according to all the rules

If you decide to make a snack with your own hands, keep in mind that you need to wash the knives and the board after processing each variety. Soft cheeses crumble, sticking to the blade or cutting surface. The resulting particles can spoil the taste and interrupt the aroma of the next product.

The cutting method depends on the consistency. Hard cheese is usually laid out in small cubes with a side of 1.5-2 centimeters. Soft - thick triangular slices.

Blue cheeses are served in pieces that can be broken by hand. In order not to damage their structure, a special device with a stretched fishing line is used for cutting. Semi-solid varieties are divided into thin layers, which are then rolled into tubes.

For the children's table, you can prepare pieces in the form of various figures using cookie cutters.

The cheeses are cut and served so that three components are visible: crust, middle, edges. You should not start preparing the slicing in advance. The product tends to dry quickly on contact with air, and Camembert or Brie melts quickly when warm.

Festive decoration

On New Year's Eve, we cannot do without slicing delicious cheese, because the hostess of 2020, the White Rat, simply loves this delicacy. By the way, astrologers do not advise adding smoked sausage to the plate, the totem animal does not respect this product.

Cutting for a festive table is made in the style of a common serving. There are New Year's motives here: Christmas trees, Christmas wreaths or stars. The photo shows various ideas for a beautiful layout of cheeses on a platter.

You can add a little exotic to the prepared assortment by sprinkling the slices with coconut, like a light snowball.

For a more elegant cut, use spiced cheeses that are green, orange, or reddish.

Having studied the beautiful design of the cheese slices, you can surprise your guests with a creative presentation of the product.

Check out these videos for cheese plate design ideas too:

In parting, I want to wish all housewives not to be afraid of experiments, boldly invent their own options for decorating dishes. Subscribe to my blog, write comments, share links with your friends. Happy Holidays.

How to make a cheese platter correctly? How to cut the cheese to preserve the full range of its flavor? Which wine to choose? The correspondent of the information portal figured out all the intricacies of serving various types of cheeses.

Types of cheese

Before proceeding to consider the basic rules for serving cheese, you need to understand its main types.

Fresh cheeses

This type of cheese is more like cottage cheese in consistency. During the preparation process, fresh cheeses are practically not pressed or pressed, which allows them to remain soft and tender. Soft cheeses include mozzarella, mascarpone, ricotta, feta.

Uncooked pressed cheeses

Cheese of this type is distinguished by the presence of a hard crust and yellow filling. They need 1 year to ripen, during which they acquire a unique aroma. This is both sweetish Maasdam cheese with large holes and Dutch yellow Gouda.

Boiled pressed cheeses

These cheeses are easily distinguished by their light crust. The classic representative is parmesan, which is distinguished by a sharp, piquant taste and fragility. Although no less tasty, Swiss Gruyere and Emmental are not so common in our country.

Soft cheeses with a moldy crust

The name of this type of cheese speaks for itself. This is the royal brie cheese and tender Camembert with a moldy crust and incredibly tender filling.

Soft cheeses with washed edges

This is an amazing type of cheese with a reddish crust, the taste of which is varied and varies from soft tender to very spicy. These include Norman livaro, spicy cheese with a pungent münster smell, aromatic golden marual.

Blue cheeses with mold (Roquefort)

True connoisseurs of cheese, once having tasted this French cheese with a green-blue mold, will never be able to change it. This statement is as true as the fact that more than half of people do not understand how it can be eaten at all.

Processed cheeses

We are used to treating processed cheeses as a low-quality product made from substandard raw materials. But if you search well, you can find such a delicious variety as the Swiss Shabziger, which is made from cow's milk with the addition of clover. This cheese has a salty-sour taste and is often used as a sauce. Or, for example, Saint Julien, Aper Shire - delicious processed cheeses with nuts.

In a more generalized form, the classification of cheeses is as follows:

• hard (parmesan, cheddar, pecorino, emmental);
• semi-solid (gouda, maasdam, edam, kostroma, dutch, tilsiter);
• soft (brie, mozzarella, camembert, mascarpone, Adyghe, ricotta);
• brine (feta, feta cheese, suluguni, Ossetian).

The main thing is to find a decent pair.

When buying cheeses for a cheese platter, pay special attention to the selection of different types of product. It is customary to use at least 5 types of cheese, which are laid out on one plate clockwise according to the degree of astringency increase - from neutral to savory.

Cow, sheep and goat cheese will be combined very well on one plate. Also, when laying out, you need to take into account the degree of maturity and the country of origin.

First you need to put soft cheeses with a washed crust, then pressed from raw milk, and then savory cheeses with blue mold.

Don't forget that measure is also important when it comes to the layout of the cheese plate. Don't turn the cheese plate into a cheese vinaigrette.

Serving and decoration

In addition to cheese, you can put fruit (apple, grapes, melon, cherry), herbs, honey, jam on the plate. It all depends on the drinks offered.

remember, that taking cheese with your hands is a sign of bad taste. It is imperative to serve along with the cheese the appropriate cutlery, which differ depending on the type and consistency of the cheese and correspond to the number of types served.

The device for soft cheeses resembles a large fork, with which you can break off and chop a piece. Pickled cheeses are cut with a knife, shaped like an ax, but with holes in the blade. Hard and semi-hard cheeses are cut with a massive knife.

If you decide to give preference to cheese at a buffet table, you must first put soft cheese on your plate with a special fork, then with blue mold, then cheese from the middle of the plate - and only after that you can take some kind of addition to them.

Wine and cheese are the perfect match

A glass of wine will be a great addition to the cheese.

In this case, cheese should be washed down with wine, and not snacked on wine with cheese.

Depending on the type of cheese, it is necessary to select the wine accompaniment. For example, semi-sweet, light dry wines, sherry are ideal for soft varieties. For blue cheeses - strong dessert wine.

There is a little trick when it comes to choosing wine - choose the country of the wine producer the same as that of the cheese.

Cheese serving secrets

1. The low temperature does not allow the cheese to reveal all the subtleties of taste and aroma, therefore before serving, it must be kept at room temperature for at least an hour.
2. Outdoors, the cheese will quickly dry out and crust over. therefore before serving, cut 0.5-1 cm of cheese to make it fresh and attractive.
3. If you decide to surprise your guests with rare types of cheeses, do not forget about the classics. After all, you never know if an exquisite treat will suit your taste.
4. When storing leftover cheese, use an airtight container to prevent air and moisture from entering. Also, follow the rule: one type of cheese - one package.
5. You need to store cheese in the refrigerator on the bottom shelf, but in no case freeze, otherwise it will lose its taste and turn into an unappetizing substance.
6. Slice the cheese into wedges while serving. This is the only way to feel the whole range of taste of the cheese head, the fermentation of which is uneven.
7. Don't be afraid to experiment! Diversify the classic cheese serving options with completely unusual combinations. For example, brie served with bread and butter and garnished with cherries can be a surprising but delicious combination.